Water gas



(No Model.)

0. E. BURDELL. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING WATER GAS. No. 425,977.Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

WITNESSES: A I/VVEA/TOI? ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CHARLES E. BURDELL, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING WATER-GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,977, dated April22, 1890.

I'Application filed May 26, 1888. Serial No. 275,194. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

that I, CHARLES E. BURDELL, of the 5; county, and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Manufacturing ater-Gas,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the manufacture of gas inwhich superheated steam and oil are simultaneously injected into anincandescent mass of anthracite coal, thereby decomposing thesuperheated steam and combining the oil-vapor to form oil and water gas.

If a mass of coal is brought to an incandescent state, the combustiblematerials enter into combination. First, the water is expelled, and thenthe hydrogen in the volatile combustible matter unites with the oxygen,forming carbonic acid if the temperature is sufficiently high and enoughoxygen is present, or under less favorable circumstances formingcarbonic oxides, or passes off unconsumed in smoke. The combination ofthe fixed carbon. next begins, and generally takes place as follows: Thefirst combustion of the carbon with the oxygen produces carbonic acid,which in passing through the bed of coal sometimes, but not always,takes up more carbon, and is converted into carbonic oxide. Byfurnishing sufficient oxygen, however, this carbonic oxide will beburned. or converted into carbonic acid.

Heretofore in manufacturing water-gas the following objections existed:First, loss of time and expense were incurred in the output, owing tothe oleaginous matter and superheated steam notbeing entirelydecomposed; second, a large percentage of carbonic oxide remained in theproduct, and, third, the fuel was not fully utilized as a decomposingagent.

Where steam is introduced into an incandescent mass of fuel inmanufacturing watergas the mass loses its life at the point of 111-duction of the steam to a greater or less degree, and in a short time atthis point becomes worthless as a decomposing agent,while at the pointof escape of the product of decomposition, which acts to a certainextent as a draft-producer, the fuel to a considerable depth is still inan active state.

To avoid the foregoing objections, 1 provide the herein-describedapparatus, so constructed and arranged that the oil and superheatedsteam are alternately introduced at the bottom and top of the fuel, theoil being introduced within the fuel adjacent to its top and bottom andthe steam just below and just above the bottom and top of the fuel.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in the view.

The figure is a vertical section of the generator with supply anddischarge connections.

In the construction of this apparatus the generator consists of achamber 1, in which the gases are evolved, the lower portion thereofforming the furnace, the structure having its walls 2 formed offire-brick with an outer sheathing 3 of iron. At the top of the chamber1 is located a hopperor chute 4t for the admission of the fuel, which isprovided with an air-tight valve 5, opened and closed by means ofmechanism which need not be herein specifically described. Access isalso had to chamber 1 by means of an opening 16 in its top provided witha cover 17, secured by a screwclamp 18, mounted in a bracket 19.

The steam is delivered by means of the main supply-pipe 20, connectingwith the pipe 21, having branch pipes 22 23, connecting with thesuperheating-coil 2i, located in the walls 2, surrounding thefuel-chamber, and

discharge-pipes 25 26, the discharge-pipe 25 opening into the chamber 1above the top of the fuel, (indicated by dotted line 27,) and thedischarge-pipe 26 having its outlet located beneath the grate 28. Thedirection of movement of the steam is controlled by the valves 20.

The oil or naphtha is supplied through the main deli very-pipe 30,having discharge-pipes 31 32 extending into the chamber 1, the out letof discharge-pipe 31 being located in the chamber 1 adjacent to the topof the mass of fuel. and about a quarter of its depth, and

the outlet of discharge-pipe 32 being located in the chamber 1 adjacentto the bottom of the fuel mass, about a quarter of its height.

To indicate the supply of oil and any stoppage thereof which might occurduring the generation of gas, the pipe 30 is provided with glass tubesor gages 33 34.

The direction of the flow of the oil is governed by valves 34.

Two gas-mains are employed in this apparatus, the upper one 35 leadingfrom the hopper 4 to the hydraulic 1nain (not shown) and provided with asuitable valve 36, and the lower gas-main 37 leading from the chamber 39beneath grate 28 to the hydraulic main above mentioned, and providedwith a suitable valve 38. The chamber 39 is tightly closed by means of adoor 40, secured by a screw 41, mounted in abracket 42. Artificial draftis supplied to the chamber 1 through the air-tube 43, projecting intothe chamber 39 beneath the grate 28.

Gas is manufactured in the hereinbeforedescribed apparatus as follows:The furnace being charged with anthracite coal to the height of the line27, the fuel is heated to an incandescent state by means of an air-blastthrough the pipe 43, the valve 5 of hopper 4 being open, and the hopperserving as a chimney and draft-flue, and by this means all carbonicoxides are carried off in the smoke that is, the free carbon to a greatextent is expelled. The air-blast through pipe 43 is then out off andthe valve 5 closed, thereby shutting off the artificial draft, and steamis introduced through the pipes 20, 21, 22, and 23 to the coil 24, whereit is superheated. The

valve 29 of the upper steam-discharge pipe 25 and the valve 34 of theupper oil-discharge pipe 31 being closed, and the valve 38 of the lowergas-main 37 being closed, and the valve 36 of the upper gas-main 35being open, oil is discharged through the discharge-pipe 32 andsuperheated steam through the discharge-pipe 26. The oil coming incontact with the incandescent mass of fuel is evaporated, while thesuperheated steam ascending through the incandescentmassis decomposed.Theamount of oxygen contained in the steam introduced is sufficient inquantity to keep the percentage of oxides very low. The hydrogen gasgenerated from the decomposing of the superheated steam min gles withthe oilgas and the mixture passes off through the gas-main 35 to thehydraulic main an d from thence to the holder. This process is continueduntil the lower portion of the mass of the fuel ceases to be active,when the gas-main 35 and discharge-pipes 32 and 26 are shut off. The gasalready generated will be foundto contain about thirty-three per cent.of carbonic oxide. The life of the fuel is renewed by an artificialdraft from the pipe 43, the valve5 being open and the hopper 4 servingas a chimney and draft-flue, which requires but half the time necessaryto supply fresh fuel. The air-blast through pipe 43 is then cut. oif andthe valve 5 closed, thereby shutting off the artificial draft andrendering it incandescent. The valve 38 of the gas-main 37 and thevalves 29 and 34' of the steam and oil discharge pipes 25 and 31 arethen opened, and the oil and superheated steam are discharged downwardthrough the incandescent fuel mass, the steam being decomposed and theoil evaporated. The hydrogen gas and the oil-gas therefrom mingletogether and the mixture passes off through the gas-main 37 to thehydraulic main and thence to the holder, where the gas mingles with thegas of the first charge. In the second or reverse blasting of the chargethe reduction of the ratio quantity of oxides takes place-vi'z., no newfuel is added-and the second application of the artificial draft withthe hopper open eliminates every remaining vestage of free carbon, andconsequently reduction in the ratio of carbonic oxides follows.Accordingly, the gas generated from the second charge mingling in theholder with the gas of the first charge containing thirty-three percent. of carbonic oxide causes a reduction of the latter, leaving but asmall per cent. of carbonic oxide present in the gas. It will thus beseen that by means of this invention the full value of the fuel isobtained in the decomposition, and also there is a saving in fuel,together with a saving of time and labor required in adding new fuel,and a gas is obtained having but a small portion of deleterious matter.

I am aware that apparatus for manufacturing gas constructed with agenerating-chamber having gas-mains and oil and steam induction pipeswith outlets located at the top of the generating-chamber is old, and Iam also aware that apparatus for manufacturing gas constructed with agenerating-chamber having its walls surrounded by a heating-coil,gas-mains opening into the top of the generating-chamber and beneath thefurnace-grate, a steam-pipe opening into the generatingchamber above theincandescent mass and beneath the furnace-grate, and a hot-air pipeopening into chambers above the generatingchamber and beneath thefurnace-grate is old,

and to neither of such apparatus above men- I tioned do I lay any broadclaim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

An apparatus for making gas, consisting of a furnace having a grate anda gas-generating chamber having a superheating-steam coil located in itswalls and surrounding the fuelspace and connected with a steam supplypipe, a valved induction steam-pipe connected with thesuperheating-steam coil and having its outlet located adjacent to thetop of the fuel-space, a valved induction steam-pipe connected with thesuperheating-steam coil and having its outlet located beneath thefurnace grate, a valved oil-induction pipe with its ICC outlet locatedajaeent to and Within the top generating chamber, serving as a chimneyof the fuel-space, a valved oil-induction pipe and draft-flue, and avalved gas-main eom- 10 with its outlet adjacent to and Within themunicating' with. the gas-generating chamber, bottom of the fuel-space,a chamber located substantially as shown and described.

beneath the furnace-grate and having an air- CHAS. E. BURDELL. tightdoor and an air-blast tube, a valved gas- Witnesses:

main opening into the chamber beneath the E. C. JONES,

furnace-grate, a hopper at the top of the gas- 0. SEDGWICK.

